Reviews (page 7 of 12)
I liked all the blues in this one.
Janis Joplin Carries 7.1/10
white woman but p good
Super relaxing after a stressful day
I’ve herd of Janis joplin can’t say i’am familiar with her work… The album starts with the song combination of the two I love how this song sets itself up as the opener to the album, it’s an odd song but I don’t hate it and yeah Janis is screamy as fuck but not as bad as I thought she would be. It’s an odd song but I don’t hate it. When Janis isn’t screaming she sounds like a singer who has passed her prime ( sadly ironic huh) this is first shown in the second song I need a man to love; the song sounds nice in the background but it lacks the gravitas of most songs of the 60’s. Summertime is the first song with any real substance instrumentally the verses remind me of the sonic “feeling good” ( I’am not sure who that song is by definitely not Buble or muse) with different guitars. It’s great though honestly the vocals are a bit grating but it’s good to have unique vocals in a decade that lacks distinctive vocalist ( even if they’re not good). The album goes more traditional rock with piece of my heart, I don’t know this song that well but I do recognise the “ come on’s”. It’s really good that section actually is a bit before it’s time a very strong vocal performance loved it! Turtle blues just kinda feels awkward for her vocal style I don’t know Janis Joplin doesn’t suit piano simple as that. The album moves on though to oh sweet Mary actually a party male done song I actually love this, it seems like the start of the rambunctious verse overly slow chorus technique of other bands. Also love the guitar break in the middle. The main album ends with ball and chain (and that’s where I’ll stop) a nine minute long blues style track with the dirtiest of guitars. I love her vocals on this track specifically the way she sings along with the way she pronounces her words works perfectly here. It was good I was kinda left wanting more ( but I guess that’s what the bonus songs are for) anyway I liked it.
4.25
Although I've never heard of Big Brother & The Holding Company, Janice Joplin was easily recognizable. I'm not generally a Joplin fan, and perhaps it is because my exposure to her body of work has been reduced to a few performances of a few songs that I've heard often enough. I enjoyed Cheap Thrills, much more than I thought I would have considering that I generally try to avoid Joplin. For a live performance, the audio and sound of the band was well recorded. I'm not sure if I would remember to come back, but I could come back and listen to the album again.
I love Janis. Ball and Chain has been one of my favourite songs of hers for a while, but I’ve never listened to this whole album.
A lot of raw energy here. And Janis. Joplin's. Voice.
Loads of jams in this. Very stonery. This opens up great. Blues influenced. Janis stretched vocals hit hard but are quite stretched. This can't be good for her throat. Riffs are top. Was a fun time capsule.
I will always love Janis.
listen carefully...
7/10. Not bad, but nothing crazy
I like it, I just don’t love it. 7/10
Genre: Blues Rock 4/5 This was a fucking blast. Big Brother and the Holding Company's Cheap Thrills, led by the incomparable Janis Joplin on vocals, is one of the best rock albums from the late 60s, and I mean that. Once the album kicked off with Combination of the Two, a 6-minute instrumental blues jam that gets almost to Led Zeppelin territory in terms of heaviness, I knew I was in for a great time. Loud, bombastic guitar riffs and drumming, with Joplin's powerful brand of vocals (I can't believe she was only 25 when they recorded this), as well as some added production elements that makes this thing feel and flow like a live album, Cheap Thrills is one of my favorite albums I've listened to since starting this exercise. While Piece of My Heart is the big hit from this album, and a great tune overall, it's their cover of Summertime that puts this album to the next level. All Janis Joplin does here is sing her fucking ass off, rendering one of music's most popular standards into one of the single best blues ballads I've ever heard, and one of my all time favorite versions of the song by far. And ending it all with the 9-minute blues epic, Ball and Chain, another classic Joplin put her own unique twist on, was the icing on the cake. An outstanding piece of work, and one that I assumed I'd enjoy just fine, but came out of with newfound respect for Janis Joplin and co., and also came out of it with a new album to play on a random day this summer. Really good shit.
I really wasn't sure what I was expecting going into this, but I was surprised when I enjoyed the experience. The guitar just sounds so good. I generally wouldn't like the vocal, but it pairs so well with the rest of the sound. Everything feels like it goes together, like a puzzle set. Favorite track: Summertime
This is a pretty good '60s album. I'm not sure if it's entirely my thing though because I probably won't listen to anything on it again other than the one that comes on the radio every once in a while. The singing is the highlight, with Janis Joplin giving an incredible performance on vocals. Highlights: 3, 4, and 7.
I really liked the few Janis Joplin songs that I new, but never went out of my way to listen to her band. I really liked this album as a unit. It was really enjoyable to listen to and scratches that classic psychedelic rock itch very well. No one who has ever lived has had a voice quite like Janis Joplin's.
This is acid rock alright. The bluesier, harder cousin of psychedelia best exemplified by Clapton's Cream. It's incredibly raw, inspired by garage and jam bands of the time. Most psychedelic tracks are "Summertime", "Oh Sweet Mary", and "Ball and Chain." Janis is a fantastic frontman, her raunchy vocals compliment the chaotic screeches. There's a pop hit "Piece of my Heart" to pull in skeptical listeners. Hopefully Janis's reputation is enough reason for most people to give this acid rock landmark a fair shot.
More Janis. - second day in a row l. Luckily I live it - lots of fun to listen to.
Was good, need a bit of drugs though.
Beautiful blues-rock and Janis Joplin's vocals? Amazing. Most songs probably worked better when performed live, though, because they don't have a lot of structure.
A lot of blues, a little prog and the best female rock vocalist ever. Gershwin's Summertime and 'Piece of My Heart' get the proper love and respect Janis' legacy deserves, but the cover of Big Momma Thornton's "Ball and Chain" rounds this out as a great slice of Americana. 4.5/5.
Janis Joplin's vocals are just insane: wild, raw and exploding with power. Don't fuck with her.
Good stuff. Some uninspired instrumentals, but overall a very great sound and an awesome voice on that Janis. That's a 4 damn. "Summertime" really fucking slaps.
A fun and powerful listen! I've seen this album cover a few times before (it is possibly the coolest art from an album on this list so far which says a lot), but I had never heard of the band. It came to a pleasant surprise that Janis Joplin was the lead vocalist; while I am not too familiar with her work, her voice is so distinguishable that I knew immediately that I had heard it before. Her vocals might not be for everyone as they can be a bit too much at times, but I enjoyed them overall throughout this record. It brought a sense of creativity and spark that the music might not have had without her. I did recognize one track going through this one: 'Piece of My Heart'. That song is really great and was probably the most upbeat song on the record, but the whole album was very consistent with its blues rock style and energetic instrumentals. The one weird thing that stood out to me was the use of fake crowd noise throughout the album. I was fully expecting live material based on the initial cheers in the first song as well as the message on the cover stating "Live Material Recorded at Bill Graham's Fillmore Auditorium"; however, it was obvious right away that this wasn't truly live as the crowd would come and go throughout every song. This wasn't "fake" in the way that the album 'Alive' by Kiss is as that album attempted to recreate the live experience; with how this one was laid out, I am not sure exactly what they were going for as it could have just been a very solid studio recording. Odd, but it didn't ruin it for me at all. I had a great time listening to this one, and I would give it another shot for sure. 3.5/5 (but close to a 4!).
Impressive vocals, fun to listen to. Favorite Songs: Combination of the Two, I Need a Man to Love
Some of it isn't exactly my style, but a handful of the songs are truly great.
This was pretty good actually
When in the mood, this is killer
Offensive album cover but Janis is a queen of rock.
great album. The vocals of janis joplins i was familiar with but the energy of this album is much more than that
EXCELLENT! I loved this, it sounded great live and what an amazing talent Janis was! I loved the cover of Summertime and Take Another Little Piece of My Heart Now Baby. LOVE the Crumb cover, of course! Will definitely listen to this again.
liked the album, smth to say you like to listen to when talking to a music expert (almost sreaming, kinda shit quality audio adds to the effect, old guitar and ddrum backround, kinda riot girrrrl but not really tho
"We are ugly but we have the music". (from a song L. Cohen wrote about his time with Janis) Summertime, Piece of My Heart and Ball and Chain are classics - sure Ball & Chain is a bit too long but it is legit live rather than aspartame live. Summertime provides a unique experience since it's not too often you can listen to a song that Billie Holiday also covered and say "Yup, this one is better than Billie's version." The guitar licks to start and throughout that song provide a quintessential psychedelic feel while Janis' vocals are poured into every word. While the highlights are all covers, some of the original songs, like I Need a Man to Love and Turtle Blues are also good. It's interesting that this album is faux live. I like Janis but always thought studio Janis was a mere fraction of what live Janis would be. If the customer wants a live album, here you go, sort of.
I like the renditions of Piece of My Heart and especially Ball & Chain – the video of her/them performing it at the Monterey Pop Festival a year earlier, where she blew away the crowd, is something else. Janice was a decent song writer as she showed later on her solo albums and here on Turtle Blues. They take a bit of a detour (from Blues Rock) on Oh Sweet Mary, which sounds like it’s from another album. On that and the opening track, where the vocals are handled by Sam Andrews there’s no doubt that they he has the world’s greatest back-up vocalist. Their decision to pump in crowd noise on many of the songs was a bit weird, and the introduction of “4 Gentlemen and one great, great broad” would have seemed out of date even in '67. Love the Album Cover.
This was much better than expected. I was never a fan of Janis Joplin but after listening to this full album I have a much better appreciation of her now. Summertime and Piece of my Heart are a wicked one-two punch and Ball and Chain is the knockout. I’m not crazy about the Robert Crumb artwork but I guess it’s iconic and emblematic of those hazy hippie days. After listening to this for the second time my 3 gets raised to a 4.
Can’t go wrong with Janis
Janis Joplin's vocals are just timeless, the heavy guitar tone are to die for.
Love Janis Joplin. Her voice is such a treasure.
Hell yeah. Call me pleased.
Great form from Janis. Excellent closer as well. I think that if I lived during this I would've loved a performance of this more than the album itself.
Blistering acid rock. Janis Joplin absolutely steals the show with her insane yowl. I could take or leave some of the jamming, but overall I enjoyed this quite a bit. Good highway music. Favorite tracks: "I Need a Man to Love", "Piece of My Heart", "Ball and Chain"
Really enjoyed this one, not sure what else to say. Surprised it's from the 60s
I like it, I like it a lot.
This hits like a ton of bricks! I didn’t know anything at all about Janis Joplin before and had her in my head as a folksy Joni Mitchell type. How wrong can you be. The soul and psych stuff on here is amazing, it all sounds so fun and exciting. Very nearly got a 5 star but for one too many blues tracks which are really not to my taste. Definitely going on regular rotation though.
Une très belle campagne de mobilisation contre les dangers de la cigarette offerte ici par Janis Joplin, qui ne cesse de choquer par sa voix absolument détruite par le tabac. Les esprits sont marqués, on espère que cela servira de leçon aux jeunes auditeurs du générateur.
yup
Lo fi as fuck production, but this album is a revelation. A freight train of awesome blues rock power. What it lacks in subtlety, it makes up for in power and energy. Janis Joplin slays on the vocals and it’s so good that even Eminem sampled this record.
Prachtig album met de bekende hit pieces of my heart, erg vet live gevoel
8/10
I've never been a huge fan of Janis Joplin, but this was a great album.
Weird record. It’s poorly recorded. The songs aren’t all that good. The band is bar band grade. The singer has more chutzpah than talent. And yet it’s still oddly compelling. It holds together. 4.5.
Amazing funk party music but still laid back
11. Cheap Thrills - Big Brother & The Holding Company. Hadn't heard of the band before despite obviously knowing Janis Joplin. Looking at album I recognised no songs, but when they play you know them. It's quite course or rough in sound, but that's just her bluesy/rocky style. It's a good album. 4/5
An explosive album with phenomenal vocals from Janis Joplin. My biggest gripe is that it was not produced or mixed well.
Very good, worth another listen
Soft 4 stars. My first experience with Janis Joplin. I can wee why she was immensely popular at that time. She can wail! Anyway, it doesn’t earn 4 stars because the ‘acid rock’ sound isn’t at the top my my list.
Classic album. Janis is wonderful as always. Love it.
Wow. Much better than I expected. I was not sold on Janis Joplin until now. What a voice. Honestly mesmerizing. The instrumentals were neat, too. ;)
often i dont like albums that feel like theyre blending into each song bc theyre so similar but i really like the way this album is so cohesive. favourite tracks: road block, piece of my heart Janis <33
Joplin is the standout on this album with an emotionally soaring voice on hit tracks Piece of My Heart and Summertime. I was blown away by the vocal performance on Turtle Blues. Some of the jam tracks don’t measure up to her vocals. This was her last album with this band before going solo and her dominance shows. Her voice is so unique that she is in the pantheon of great singers like Aretha, Etta James, Whitney, etc but we’ll always wonder what she could have accomplished had she not died so young.
Well I got an education. Janis Joplin always seemed to get mentioned on her own but she had just as many album with these guys as solo. Man, that voice. One of a kind. Huge plus and makes the song something special on I Need a Man to Love and Turtle Blues. But at times the album was too self-indulgent, like the opener Combination of the Two - aimless guitar work and warbling. Ditto for Oh Sweet Mary. But I didn't mind any of it on the longest track Ball and Chain - 9 minutes wasn't enough and Joplin was electric. I'd put it right up there with Piece of My Heart, which is an all-time great, gives me chills everytime.
3.5/5. Pretty good, definitely a little out there. The singers voice was also a little out there, but that’s not a bad thing. The album art is also interesting.
raw
Janis was a goddamn national treasure. It's a shame she died much too young. Great album from the psychedelic blues era. 4 stars.
Awesome classic rock / blues with Joni Mitchell's amazing voice!
An album is only as strong as its weakest link. If that held true, this would be a TWO STARS package. Alternatively, if this album was to be judged as 'best ball' it'd receive a solid FIVE STARS based solely on 'Summertime' because Summertime cooks. The sound of the guitar on this album is absolutely incredible, deep, bossy, full of lazy rough distortion that you can sink your teeth into. The opening to Ball and Chain is soooo gooood. Oh Sweet Mary has a great start, but then syrup-voice starts the singing and just ruins it... I want Janis. Ohhh, Janis, you are the wings to my angel. Your voice and that guitar are such a sweet combination ...or so I'd think. The songs that are good, are REALLY good. The guitarless Turtle Blues, old time piano and Janis... beautiful. Piece of My Heart ... classic power, and, have I mentioned 'Summertime...?' But then there are these mediocre and less than adequate songs like the opening track, Combination of the Two, Flower in the Sun and Roadblock that don't belong and drag the rest of the album down. But the ones that cook... Summertime, (have I mentioned Summertime) I could listen to on repeat for hours...
Such a great album. Janis Joplin's serrated voice cuts through the fuzzy guitar. Bluesy and at he same time psychedelic. Everyone has probably heard the hit on this album but the rest of the album is just as good in my opinion.
Janis! Holy cow! This once again exposed the gaps in my music knowledge. I did not know the names of any of Joplin’s backing bands, and since this one doesn’t bear her name I didn’t realize it was her at first. Then as I listened, I thought that remarkable voice sounded familiar. And sure enough, this is the band that launched Joplin’s career. After plunging deep into her tragic story, which I really only knew the end of, I went back and listened to the first Big Brother and the Holding Company album, and the next one she made with a new band. You can definitely hear the progression in her style and confidence as a singer. Bluesy, awesome classic rock. They may have been dirty hippies in the height of Haight Ashbury, but damn can Janis Joplin sing.
groovy man
-I particularly like "Piece of My Heart" and "Roadblock" -I also enjoyed "Ball and Chain," "Catch Me Daddy," "Magic of Love," and "I Need a Man to Love" -I kind of felt that these tracks just weren't as strong and energetic as "Piece of My Heart" -This is one of the strongest 4 albums I'd say, but it just didn't have something that really made me want to push it to 5
Nice, kannte die Band von Janis Joplin bislang nicht
Good old rock album - didn't get through the whole thing, but it's a good rock album
26th May 2021 In the living room on the speaker while working. I loved this, right up my street. Not listened to Big Brother and the Holding Company before and didn't know it was one of Janis' bands but the raw energy (enhanced by the fake crowd noise put in production) is amazing. It sounds like they just hit record and went for it which I love. I Need a Man to Love, Turtle Blues, Ball and Chain, loved. Want to send an email to the Blues Kitchen podcast and hope they play one of these classics.
Очень рад, что встретил этот альбом - я встречал песни с него на других релизах, но приятно закрыть пробел в образовании и узнать первоисточник.
Not my usual style but I actually liked it. Recognized some classic songs, and I learned a bit about Janis Joplin reading about this album. Lots of emotion in her voice which was I think why this album worked for me.
Love it! Janis is a real powerhouse! Interesting to hear some live crowd noises added even though it’s a studio album.
Such a voice. Maybe not the definitive versions of songs but still very good
Fun. pretty janis joplin forward in a fun way.
Sound quality up and down (live recording), but fantastic energy and JJ on form. Bonus points for MAD-like album cover.
Shit my notes didn't save. Great album. "Piece of my Heart" and "Ball and Chain" are the highlights. Great fuzz tones on guitar. Makes me want to be in warm weather walking around aimlessly.
my views on JJ are somewhat conflicted, but i really enjoyed this one. ball and chain is definitely the standout for me. also, i fucking love the album art.
Really enjoyed it especially not knowing what to expect.
This rocks! I honestly don't know how the whole Joplin thing passed me by, I've never really heard much of her music. One tiny complaint, this album does go on a bit too long. I could have happily lost a couple of tracks, but yes, that Joplin chick is pretty great! It was fun to spot that Eminem sample in there too, like a little cameo spot.
Blues rock. Best Tracks: Summertime, Piece of My Heart, Ball and Chain,
Awesome. Would have been incredible to see live
Enjoyed that. 4/5
First up. Piece of my heart is bloody majestic. have always love it. love this (presumably first) version. The rest of the album is great fun without ever reaching the glorious heights of the song it was built around. 4/5 mostly for Piece of my heart.
First Joplin experience- she has some lethal chirps. Loved the lead guitar too. Pretty chaotic album. Piece Of My Heart a cracker. Almost a 5, just a bit chaotic
Blues rock. Con Janis Joplin.
Didn't realise this was Janis Joplin on vocals at first. Pretty cool album with some solid tracks.
Piece Of My Heart es la más reconocida y explica perfecto este disco. La música es muy buena, las letras son buenas pero Janis hace que todo explote y llegue a niveles estratosféricos. No por nada es el segundo y último disco de Janis con la banda. Combina grabaciones de estudio con sesiones en vivo. Gran disco, sin lugar a dudas.
Damn good. Didn't even know Janis Joplin had projects outside her solo work. Way better imo.
Pretty great
Si no hubiera leído la historia del disco, me habría ido con la finta y pensado que fue grabado en vivo. Un detalle muy interesante de la producción del disco. El grupo me agradó mucho, y me sorprendió saber que fue de donde surgió Janis Joplin. Me hubiera gustado estar en uno de los conciertos de Big Brother, pero al menos con este disco podemos tener una probadita de lo que hubiera sido. Creo que es un poco desafortunado que Janis como solista haya eclipsado al grupo, pero es entendible: su voz y su talento eran demasiado. La canción que más me agradó fue Ball and Chain, pero todo el disco es un placer de escuchar.
4.5 | Con este disco aprendí algo del pasado de Janis y de Robert Crumb y sus dibujos problemáticos. La música me gustó más de lo que esperaba antes de saber quién estaría cantando; me gustó mucho también la canción en la que hay una voz masculina acompañando, creo que debieron hacer más de eso. Mi favorita del disco (que siempre creí que era de solista) es Piece of my Heart.
What a time to be alive
Fun! I didn't realize that Piece of My Heart was Faith Hill covering Janis Joplin. Cool.
Some classic songs
Jesus Christ, Janis Joplin.
cool cover, I think it's Robert Crumb
nice music but not such good production.
I listened to this while drinking an iced coffee in traffic, but I feel like it would be better appreciated on a giant hi-fi absolutely ripped on acid.
Enjoyed - some of the tracks a little long and meandering, but some great songs as well - good voice
Not sure what I was expecting but it wasn’t that! … I liked it 👍
Cheap Thrills was recorded live in the studio with an audience — which explains the clapping, and also the energy. Janis Joplin performs like the room is on fire. The voice is the thing. Raw, cracked, whiskey-and-cigarettes, every note costs something. People call it one of the great rock voices. I kept thinking of Marge Simpson. This is not a knock. Marge has real emotional range. The music around Joplin is genuinely good. But once the image is in your head, it stays. 3/5 — distinctive, emotional, unmistakable. Also: Marge.
This one was pretty good. Was hard to tell if the lead singer was a man or woman tbh
One of those sixties classics that hasn’t aged well. Janis has a good voice Blues based songs. Ball and Chain: outstanding. Long songs with lots of jamming. Average album: three stars.
It was ok
Mag die Energie, die psychedelischen Elemente und die kratzige Stimme von Janis Joplin. Das Album ist ne richtige Zeitreise. Auf Albumlänge zieht sich das ganze aber für meinen Geschmack, die Gitarrenriffs sind manchmal ein bisschen zu viel und generell sticht kein Song richtig raus. Außerdem ist vor allem die erste Hälfte des Albums besser.
🍄🎸🐬🌸✨
Some of the sound mixing was iffy but cool vocals
Cool album but the long jams don’t really do it for me. “Summertime” is great though.
a period piece - overblown psychedelic guitars, the love-in vibe, and Janis giving her all, especially on the all-out attack on "Piece of My Heart", all wrapped in a Robert Crumb cover.
A classic.
Enjoyed this and it's not a part of Joplin's career that I was familiar with.
eh
⭐⭐⭐+ Blues rock/Psycadelisk rock. När jag började lyssna på albumet trodde jag att jag skulle gilla det mer än jag gjorde. Det är bra men det är inte fantastiskt och jag tappar lite intresset under albumets gång, tror att det kan bero på jag tycker att spåren i många fall har en känsla av att flyta ihop i ett långt jam. Kan lyfta med lite mer tid och lyssningar och kan mycket möjligt ge det fler lyssningar i framtiden. Janis Joplin är det som lyfter albumet till en svag 4a men flera gitarrpartier är också bra. Bäst är Summertime, Piece of my heart, Ball and chain, Roadblock
I had never heard of Janis Joplin's first band. Until now, I only heard of her as a solo artist. This is the Janis show, and some of the best songs on the album are recognizable Janis hits that I already knew and loved. Great to hear them in this context. +1 point for the R. Crumb album artwork.
really great initial impression but i think it got a little old a little too fast for me. still good music but i may just not be in the right mood for it. some tracks i really enjoyed on here though! super unique vocal tone and some pretty great guitar, ill definitely give the later tracks in the album another try when im not in the office.
This is another one I did the original vinyl release. Combination is a hell of an opener with its fast paced drums like a freight train and psychedelic guitar. Love the woo woo vocal line as well. The lead vocals weren’t doing much for me. Track two has Joplin front and center which is electric. A real powerhouse of a singer. Can’t be group vocals are a bit annoying but the guitar makes up for it. Summertime has such a memorable guitar part that always sticks with me. And the vocals have a lot of pain that is beautiful. And the center piece of this is outstanding. Mainly for that catchy chorus and those outrageous vocals from Janis. This bluesy number is decent enough. Musically it’s pretty basic but Joplin owns the track as usual. Sweet Mary has some great drum work. The guitar is solid too. And then the monster Ball and Chain has everything I’ve written about but at length. The length is a bit much at times.
my boy just b doin anything
I think I underestimated Janis Joplin bc her voice is insane
Janis Joplin carries this to 3 stars. Not my jam, but certainly unique.
It's always a pleasure to hear Janis Joplin. There are very soulful songs in here.
I am not old enough to like it more than three points.
Take another little piece of my heart oh babyyy
First half was forgettable. Second half was actuslly pretty decent. No one cna deny she's got a unique voice.
3.5/5, but could see this moving up.
Not exaclty my thing but still very cool. Piece of My Heart rips. RYM: N Saved a song: Y
Muy bueno. Siempre me lo cruzaba y nunca me puse a escucharlo. Blues hermoso, con Joplin a pleno. 6/10
Friday, 19 June, 2026 Juneteenth! This album is good, and fine. The band is very skilled. They just don’t stand out as unique. Of course Janice Joplin stands out! The recording of “Piece of my Heart” is my favorite of hers.
Interesting to hear a female main vocalist in a rock band from the 60s. Decent listen.
Fine. I'm quite new into these albums and it seems my taste is too modern.
Es ist ein raues, ungeschöntes Dokument der späten Hippie‑Ära: viel Energie, viel Chaos, viel Janis Joplin. Die Platte lebt von ihrer unmittelbaren Live‑Attitüde, auch wenn sie größtenteils im Studio entstand. Joplin trägt das Album praktisch allein – ihre Stimme brennt, kratzt, fleht, besonders in „Piece of My Heart“ und „Ball and Chain“.
Janis has some pipes doesn't she?
I like Janis' voice fine, but "Piece of my Heart" aside, there's just not too much here to care about. A bit too much blues, not enough psychedelia, and they're not doing much to change my view that Jefferson Airplane is the only San Francisco band worth caring about.
As with jazz, I find some blues tracks have a good starting idea that soon gets lost in too much self-indulgent, repetitive looping. This album has some of that, but also some genius tracks too. Where it’s good, it’s great. Where it’s not it’s tiresomely turgid. A good example of where less can be so much more.
Janis Joplin is overrated
6/10
Fairly decent album, but Janis' voice has always been like nails on a chalk board for me. So much emotion, but just so much rasp.
As a Gen-X kid who was more influenced by the 80's I appreciate influence later rock, blues, and alt artists would take from this era. The dirty guitar sounds that dominate the Grunge era are definitely felt here, Ball and Chain especially. Piece of My Heart is an obvious classic, but most of this is album if forgettable for me.
This is one of those albums that make me contemplate the scope of this project. Was it fine? Yes. Did it stand out? No.
La voz de Janis Joplin es única. No me parece lo mejor que escuché pero sí es bastante disfrutable, los 55 minutos parecen 30. Muy buena banda pero no me sorprende honestamente.
60s freak out stuff. Cool sound but songs aren’t the strongest of the era
Her voice kinda drives me batty.
I had written a phenomenal review for this one, probably one of the best on the whole site, but I guess I forgot to save my notes. Very sad. Anyway.....the album's alright. I won't be listening again. There was one song I knew that I meant to add to a playlist and I forgot to do that too. I don't know what's going on with me. 3 Stars
So unique and some classic songs but this doesn’t really do it for me
The kind of album that makes me want to drop everything and travel aimlessly in the heat. The vocal style was something new for me, something I'm not very used to. As it was my first time listening, it was a really fun experience.
Joplin's vocals are good, but most of this one didn't grab me. Highlights-Combination of the Two, I Need a Man to Love, and Piece of My Heart.
Janis is impressive of course. Generally though, this kind of psychedelia is something I respect on an intellectual level more than it is a kind of music I would seek out to listen to of my own volition.
Ihan ok. 3/5.
Oh… is that cartoon cover done by Crumb? Yeah, this is a terrible recording. And Janis sings open. If she had lived, she would have had a short career anyway, would have developed nodes, if she didn’t have them already. With the exception of Summertime, which really is haunting and done amazingly, I could leave all the rest in the 60’s. My dad had some weird thing for Janis. I don’t get it. But this is history. Boolean: yes, suppose I had to
...
Janis Joplin's vocals are what makes this album worthy of inclusion in this list. She is electrifying and spellbinding with every note - I can't wait for her to reappear later! The music itself is spunky and bubbling with gumption; there's so much innate grit here, it pairs perfectly with Joplin's signature croaky voice. I think I have to be in the mood to listen to this album again: it's a case of "I fully appreciate this album, but I don't need to listen to it again by itself".
Legendary voice but pretty bland songs
(4/7) that janis sure can wail
I’ve never heard an artist absolutely tear their vocal cords to shreds like Janis Joplin does on this album! You’d think that a vocal performance that makes your throat hurt as a listener would be less than stellar, but it elevates the record significantly. You’d feel everything she’s feeling. Combine that with some killer instrumental sections and this becomes one of my favorite records so far; I just have to find versions of these songs with a different album cover. I understand that the artist was a satirist, but I haven’t the foggiest idea what the point of the Summer Love panel is other than mocking black people. It harkens back to old-school blackface in the worst possible way, and makes me feel gross for enjoying the album as much as I did.
When I first saw this I thought of cheap thrills by SIA.
Some classics but not an overwhelming success and a bit of an Aerosmith sound initially 3
7.50-Mike and Josie Sandwich up the hill
There was only one Janis Joplin. Interesting to read that the crowd noise was added separately so that this would sound like a live album.
Janis är alltid kul men annars finns det ju några bangers på denna men nog ganska mitt i raden!
Okay, das funktioniert für mich besser als das Solo Album von vor ein paar Wochen. Hier ist Energie und Rohheit die zur Stimme passen. Aber: die Songauswahl und die Arrangements finde ich nicht immer passend und ich hätte mir noch mehr Fuzz und weniger Blues Standards gewünscht.
Meh, es hat Höhen und Tiefen und ne Stimme die mich einfach nicht catcht.
Ok 3
This was an enjoyable album although jot really my rhing. 3/5
There are no hidden gems on this one … you know the hits and the rest is fairly standard blues. We know Janis can sing, though this is not her most soulful, and the band is not breaking any ground here either. Overall, pretty predictable.
Never was a big Janis Jopln fan. This album is all right but there are much better 60s rockers doing it better. Top tracks: "Piece of My Heart," "Summertime"
I don't love psychedelic rock, but this was fine.
--Combination of the Two…decent groove --I Need a Man to Love…some cool dirty blues. Janis is in good form here --Summertime…the lyrics combined with the R. Crumb album cover illustration make me a little uncomfortable. That might be the point. Who’s to say these days? The tune is pleasant enough --Piece of My Heart…classic --Turtle Blues…basic blues. Joplin’s voice shines --Oh, Sweet Mary…decent jam but not enough Janis --Ball and Chain…nice, dirty guitar opening. Janis is clearly the star on this LP. her transition to solo work isn't surprising
Fun
I like Janis Joplin a lot, but I thought this album was a bit of a mixed bag. Piece of My Heart is an outstanding song, with Janis’ vocals working fantastically well. But, the cover of Gershwin’s Summertime doesn’t hold a candle to the Fitzgerald version. It added nothing remotely interesting and was, in my opinion, an outright bad cover of a beautiful song. The other tracks were mostly fine, but I don’t see myself giving this a 4 right now. I’ll come back to it sometime and reevaluate, though.
Janis has some classic tunes. I’m fine with this album being on the list.
I mean, it's great to see how far Janis Joplin have gone, but I'm not a big fan. Sounded nice though.
Well I mean Piece of My Heart is such a classic. One of my all time favourite songs. But the rest of the album is meh to me
Some great guitar tones on here for 1968. Decent vairety of themes and song-types as well. Holds up better than expected for its age.
This started off really well for me; "Combination of the Two" was a jam. Took a bit of a downturn though, because I really didn't get along with the vocals on "Summertime". Musically, great - I enjoyed the Blues vibes and the overall sound, but Janis' vocals were really polarising for me across different tracks - sometimes they worked, sometimes they really didn't. Also loses points for faking being a Live album - I hate Live albums so the idea of it being faked in production is just downright awful.
Very enjoyable actually
Janis sings the blues, Piece of my heart
I really like how much Janis Joplin gets after it.
It was ok. Liked Turtle Blues and Piece of My Heart best.
okay didn’t enjoy it as much as I thought I would have. Rating: 3/5 GEMV (11.05.2026)
I’ll go ahead and admit this, but I’m not a huge fan of Janis Joplin. In fact, I don’t like her voice at all. It always just sounded like a banshee wailing to me. It never hit my ear as a pleasant sound, and I was never able to grow into it. Maybe things have changed, as today’s album is Big Brother & The Holding Company’s Cheap Thrills. For those who didn’t know, Janis Joplin sang for this band before breaking out on her own as a solo artist. The band formed in 1965, with Joplin joining them in 1968. This would be the group’s second album, produced in the studio, though made to sound like a live album. Only one song on the album was actually recorded live, and it was Ball and Chain. The band released just one single from the album, and it was Piece of My Heart. The song only got to number 12 on the Billboard Hot 100, but it became synonymous with Joplin, though it was Big Brother & Holding Company that recorded it. Track 1 is Combination of the Two, written by guitarist Same Andrew. The song starts out all San Francisco psychedelic rock with screaming guitars. Wow, it really does sound live. Okay, I guess Andrew sings as well because he’s on lead vocals with this song. He sounds just like most dudes back then. Joplin shows up in the backing vocals and a few screams here and there. The song is less psychedelic rock now and more Stax soul. Oh snap, here’s the big guitar solo. That’s pretty good. It’s nice and fuzzy. I’m a softie for a fuzzy. This was just a nice-sounding soul-fried rock song. Track 2 is I Need a Man to Love and I’m sure Janis will be singing this one. This was written by Jopling and Andrew. The song starts out with a really great psychedelic guitar solo. The song sounds like a blues tune with fuzzy guitars. It reminded me off the bat of Crosby, Nash, Stills and Young’s I Almost Cut My Hair or Steppenwolf’s The Pusher. Both great songs. It’s our first introduction to Janis on lead, and she’s singing in the raspy, bluesy tone of hers. She’s very good about going from soft singing to screaming. As I said, I don’t really like her voice, but no one has sung like her ever. I admire the raw, almost ready to blow a vocal chord at any point in her voice. That said, the song is a good groove. I even hear a bit of how David Lee Roth sang on their album Women and Children First, especially on the song Fools. Track 3 is Summertime, and I hope it’s not the song I think it is. Ugh, it is. “Summertime, and the livin' is easy Fish are jumpin', and the cotton is high Oh, your daddy's rich and your ma is good lookin' So hush, little baby, don't you cry” That Summertime. I loathe that song. I hate that song and Fever the most. It’s just the go-to song for women to show they’re sultry or something. I don’t get the appeal of the song at all. Now, you mix a song I hate with a vocalist I’m not into, and maybe we’ll get something great. Andrew’s guitar work is great. Janis’s singing is still horrible. She’s trying to sing it sultry, but it’s coming out like a screech owl, so it’s at least different. I’m beginning to think the real star of this group is Andrew. He’s really blowing it out on the guitar. I may hate the song, but this is probably my favorite version. I assume Andrew also arranged it. In fact, his playing is making Janis sound less screechy. Uh-oh, I already said Summertime is one of my most hated songs, here comes track 4, Piece of My Heart. I may need to reshuffle my list. I don’t guess I hate this song so much as I’ve heard it enough. I could go the rest of my life and never hear this song again and call it a good life. This time I’m going to listen more to Andrew’s guitar and less to her voice. Ooh, I’m learning that when Joplin left Big Brother, she took Andrew with her to form her solo backing band. Smart move. Andrew is a very underrated guitar player. I guess I’ve never really heard his playing because as soon as I hear Joplin’s voice, I’d either change stations or turn it off. I just don’t get her appeal. There are plenty of better screamers out there than Joplin. It must be the tragic death. Track 5 is Turtle Blues, which was the B-side for Piece of My Heart. Joplin is the sole writer of this song. It’s just an old-fashioned blues song. I actually dig this as Joplin is staying under control. John Simon, the album’s producer, is playing piano on this song, and he’s really standing out. The song sounds like it was recorded in a small club, as you can hear conversations quietly going on in the background. I do love the concept of a live album that’s not live. Track 6 is Oh, Sweet Mary and it seems to be a band-written track. Andrew sings the lead vocal on the track, but the whole band sings the chorus. This song is very different from the other tracks on the album. It’s less psychedelic blues rock and more like an electric folk song. It reminds me of an old traditional English tune. Peter Albin is playing lead guitar on this song and is really killing it. Albin usually plays bass for the band, but on this song, Andrew is playing bass. Joplin is wailing like a banshee in the back. The song isn’t bad, but it sounds like it was leftover from a previous album or the last one in on a rushed writing session for one more song. It just doesn’t fit what the band seemed to be doing up until this point. Track 7 is Ball and Chain, and apparently, this one was indeed recorded live. Oh wow! It starts with an explosion of psychedelic guitar by Andrew. It’s filled with feedback and fuzz. It’s an old blues song written by Big Mama Thornton. Janis isn’t screaming. She’s as quiet as a mouse, and I think she sounds better like this. You don’t want to hear Joplin screaming all the time. You need those quiet moments to make the loud moments count. Joplin’s screeches lose their impact if it’s all you hear. Now we’re getting into the Joplin sounds I just don’t like, screechy, loud, noisy. Then later on, they bring things down, and she’s singing very softly, and it sounds so much better. In future releases of the album, they would add four more songs, but I’ve had enough. It seems I’ve always been right. Janis Joplin just doesn’t do a lot for me. Again, it’s probably more because I’m not cool. But I think a lot of people are enamored with her death and how others seemed to have built her up into this goddess of rock. I just don’t see it. I am saddened that she couldn’t pull herself out of her troubles before her life ended. I can’t recommend this album to anyone as my ears are still ringing. But, if you want to follow the cool kids, have at it.
Not my usual cup of tea, and nothing on here changed my mind Not bad though
sonically not too different from anything Janis did solo
It was ok. Not my fave
Classic soul-funk blues-rock. Great singing as expected.
Somehow ended up listening to the Mamma Mia and Les Mis sound tracks after this, take that as you will...
great artist, but not a huge fan of live albums
The era of live musicians, rock was still young and feeling meant more than technical skills. And Janis. Magical Janis. There has never been and never will be anyone like her. Still as a whole album... meeh, it's a STRONG 3 stars!
Good music
Classic psychedelic festival rock at its best with Joplin possessing the crucial rasping vocals to set off the sprawling blues guitars and make this album one of the top achievements of the genre.
I always forget how much 60s rock stole I mean borrowed from the blues. Like this is pretty much just a blues album for white hippies, right? Janis has a super strong, distinct voice, and the band is solid, but pulled out of its time, I dunno, doesn't hit for me. That and boomers have been selling me this era my whole life so I instinctively push back. It's okay.
Nice vocals and guitar.
Its a different album! My first contact with janis joplin but there is some song i already knew. I like it!
#4 Janis Joplin's vocals are the most prominent element throughout this album, for better or worse. Piece of my Heart is a classic, and it would not be as iconic had it been sung by anyone else. At the same time, I find her vocals to detract from the otherwise fantastic rendition of Summertime. Just too much squealing... It is a solid example of early psych-rock and has some great instrumental work throughout, but it has its flaws. The production quality is lacking, and the fake crowd noise I especially don't like. Overall, it's a decent album that I'm glad I was exposed to, but not one that will go into my rotation.
Janis' voice is special, no doubt, but not very versatile. The band is playing a decent white psychedelic blues, no more, no less.
elle me casse les oreilles avec sa voix là, sinon musique ok, y'a de bon sons mais azy
Sympatoche
i've never been a huge fan of janis but there is no denying the raw fuzz and rock on this 1968 release. and that crumb artwork! respect.
Auf Dauer nervt janis
7/10 Buen album, me gusto como se desarrolla. No se hace aburrido, se disfruta si le prestas atencion o estando de fondo, no es invasivo para tener de fondo tampoco
I didn’t mind this and I don’t mind Janis Joplin’s hollering style but, barring the obvious standout (Piece of my heart), there wasn’t a huge amount to recommend.
Arghh…please stop with the 12 bar blues. Joplin lends a bit more heft to the vocals but the songs themselves again do very little for me. Forgettable and done to death.
Had not listened to this in a while. It held up decently. Another album that would take advantage of a 3.5 rating.
Síðsjöunda fuzz-blúsrokk og fínt sem slíkt. Janis á afar góða spretti í Summertime og (sérstaklega) Piece of my heart, en ég er ekki eins hrifinn af hinu eins og ég var fyrir þrjátíu og fimm árum, aðeins of losaralegt og vantar þéttari production. Rúmur þristur hér.
What an amazing performance from Janis Joplin on this. Some great songs, piece of my heart being a particular highlight, but others passed me by. Glad I got to listen to this though.
JJ had a great voice, genderless and powerful and some of the songs on this record are great but for me the production lets it down a little. That said the highlights are frequent enough to make this a really good record if not quite great 3.4
I remember a flatmate having this album and we listened to it a lot. Still a bit of a mishmash of bluesjam mixed in with truly great songs. 3.4/5.
There's some cool moments on this and when Janis Joplin is on it, she's really is on it. Piece of my heart is great. But a lot of the record is quite roughly put together and lacks polish. Maybe this was intentional, but it didn't work for me like perhaps intended.
I loved the raspy voice. The rage, the soul and the rock. Overall a goodt 60s album
Could see the influence it had but didn’t really hook me.
There's an indisputable energy to this record, and Janice Joplin's performance is off the scale alongside everything else that was going on at the time. I don't know who the lead guitarist is, but it felt like there were several moments in almost every song where I just wanted him to do his breathing and have a think about what he was doing. And given it's not actually a live recording, why do the guitars sound so bad? The Robert Crumb cover is great, and way ahead of its time - this is NOT how record covers looked in 1968. Joplin could really belt it out but I think you can have too much of a good thing so towards the end, I just wanted her to take a breather and gargle some salt water. I'm glad I listened though - I've never heard it before and spending a little time with it felt like a musical education.
Some great songs and the fake live vibe is cool I guess but poor recording
Janis elevates the material here. The covers were the highlights.
her voice is annoying
it was fine, highlight was piece of my heart. rambling vibe
Alright
Psychedelic jam album. It's a good album and has held up to the test of time in my opinion. I just personally don't love the music all the way through. Ball and Chain is an all time banger.
Not a big Joplin fan but this is very classic. Would never listen again though
This is a fine album, but musically it is not really any different than just listening to Janis Joplin directly. So I think it is redundant.
Not a Fan.
I didn’t remember right away after seeing the band’s name, but after hearing Janis Joplin’s vocal at the start of the album I remembered this was the band she was in just prior to going solo. Great solid rock, with Joplin’s signature vocals made this quite enjoyable.
Such hippies! Some great songs though.
Ok, a couple of tracks that I enjoyed
Es nuevo para mi completamente, pero la portada se ve fantástica. Entrando a mi Spotify, me di cuenta que ya tenía una canción de ellos. De lo que escuché, solo guardé dos canciones, aunque la de Summertime me parece una gran canción. (No lo terminé)
Some big songs here with Summertime and Piece of my Heart. But lost interest as it went on. 3.5
ok
didn't listen to yet
Piece of My Heart is great, but the rest of the album is really lacking for me. This sounds like the kind of band that would be amazing to see live, but it just doesn't translate through recording.
OK but not stunning
Call me jaded; I judged this album by its cover and honestly thought it was going to be easier to shit on. I was so wrong. The album sounds like it's recorded live from a large room, the musicianship is good and, though I've grown to dislike Janis Joplin through only hearing "Piece of My Heart" over my life, imagine my surprise to find that Janis has range. Even "Piece of My Heart" is more enjoyable in the context of the record. I love that the band its able to harmonize with her as well. The album is absolutely being played through a cloud of weed smoke, no question, and at the very least, the guitarist is tripping. This is good psych rock. Sadly, I'm still not a fan of blues, so Cheap Thrills only scores so many points with me. The fuzzed-out and freakier moments do help the bluesy medicine go down. A delightful surprise nonetheless. Highlights: "Combination of the Two", "Oh Sweet Mary"
I had no idea that the crowd noise was added by a producer. Add me to the list of people who were duped and thought this was largely a live album. Great guitar riffs, and I love Janis Joplin's voice.
man I was totally fooled into thinking this was a live album, the crowd noise added definitely gives it that feel and makes it feel more raw. Joplins vocals do a lot of the heavy lifting here, iconic as is it. The blues backing is good for what it is, if its your jam. I got really sucked into I Need A Man To Love and of course A Piece of My Heart, but everything else was okay. Also the racist as hell cover art doesnt do it any favors!
Janis Joplin had an iconic voice but this was a live blues album so not really my cup of tea. She wails and screams and carries the whole damn thing though
Feels like sacrilege to say this but I don't enjoy Janis Joplin's vocals.. It sounds like she's lost her voice but is trying to sing anyway- especially on Summertime. There are moments when I do understand the hype but it's not consistent for me. Favourite song: Piece of My Heart Least: Summertime
not my thing but not baaaad. shrill voice kinda annoying. juuuuust barely not a 2 star for me.
I don't think the length of this artist name will be topped. Pretty good album with some good stuff, somewhat pioneering for the 60's, however it lost me the further through it got. Also... I only just noticed the album cover, that's... oof.
3.5. Underrated classic rock live album.
It's okay. I'm not a big fan of Janis Joplin's voice so some of the songs kind of grate on me.
Instrumentals are fine. Pretty standard rock with some good moments but nothing impressive. When I first heard this sort of raspy female singing style, I thought it was unique and refreshing, but as I've listened to more albums from this time period, I'm starting to think this was just a popular singing style at the time. I'm not against it, but I've already heard it done better multiple times e.g. Betty Davis.
Didn’t know Janice Joplin fronted a significant band before she went solo. This album is in a similar style to her solo work - bluesy psychedelic rock. Jammy soulful and fun. I feel like even though there are big songs here like Piece of My Heart, the songwriting quality is a bit uneven with more than a few filler songs. Let’s say three stars.
Es gibt Besseres von diesen Künstlern.
I have never really listened to Janis Joplin. She's not exactly my thing, but man the talent was insane. I enjoyed this!
STINKY
has a few songs I like that I already knew but the album doesn't stand out to me in any way
I can definitely hear what people like in this music, but it's not for me. I would enjoy it live, but not anywhere else.
Not my favorite thing in the world but I was honestly expecting to find it more annoying than I did. The band has a good sound maybe entirely attributable to the guitar tone.
She’s really awesome but sometimes hard to listen to
It was okay but I really didn't like her voice...
I really enjoyed this album! Janis Joplin’s voice is fascinating and fits the vibe of the music perfectly. Piece of My Heart was particularly great. I enjoy listening to one or two songs of this kind, but an entire album starts to feel a bit repetitive, and by the end, I wasn't enjoying it as much. It's just not the kind of album I would want to listen to from start to finish again, but there were some really fun pieces on it.
this is cool, i would come back to a handful of songs here but probably not the whole album
Very interesting, and Janis Joplin’s vocals are great. I don’t know that most of the songs hold up that well though. Another Piece of My Heart is a notable exception.
A bit dated and I’m not sure I actually enjoy Joplin’s voice all that much. Decent enough rock.
Liked it more than I thought, but greatest?
Interesting, rather than amazing. Fascinating to see Joplin's early style and some innovative guitar work, but i'd want to see what this developed into more. Two best songs are clearly covers. Strange to get this before any other Janis Joplin, feels like its here for historical value. A straight 3.
Rock, Blues, (Janis Joplin), 1968 -> 3
cover does not look like it would be from this year if you get what i mean
3/5
Always nice to hear Janis Jopping, but I think a lot of this album is missing the intensity I like from her. There's some obvious highlights (Turtle Blues is very good and I hadn't heard it before) but yeah not sure about her with the band
A lot of classic Janis Joplin on here. I had no idea she was in a band rather than a solo artist.
There are people who like Janis Joplin's voice and then there's me; when she hits the high notes, a cat in heat comes to mind. And yet, I think this album's decent in spite of that. The band is terrific, and the record sounds good. The album cover (illustrated by Robert Crumb, one of the best album covers of all time) says "live material recorded at Bill Graham's Fillmore Auditorium" but this is a big, fat lie with a band introduction and crowd noises added in post. Only "Ball & Chain" is a live performance (from Winterland Ballroom, not Fillmore). In any case, it does have the loosey-goosey, raucous feel of a live performance (although the outtakes compilation Sex, Drugs and Cheap Thrills showed us it took quite a few attempts to achieve that vibe). A few of the slower songs focus too much on Janis histrionics for me to enjoy, including the nine minute "Ball and Chain," but "Combination of the Two," "I Need A Man To Love," "Piece of My Heart" and "Oh, Sweet Mary" are twenty minutes of good music where Joplin feels like part of the group rather than the main feature.
The live recording isn’t the best and there’s too much screeching on the guitar for my taste. But boy it’s hard to beat the voice of Janis. The R. Crumb cover art is fun to look at also.
Overall a fun and playful album with some good vocals and fun riffs. Production wasn't all too well but it still sounded good enough. 5.5/10, Favorite Song: Ball and Chain
Notable for early Janis Joplin. 3.2 stars.
Good opener, ultimately failed to hold my interest for long as a broader album.
Enjoyable enough
A pretty good rock album, but man I did not like the vocals.
gritty blues led by one of the most powerful vocalists, tracks like “Summertime” and “Piece of My Heart” are classics.
That Robert Crumb album art tho! Anyway, I've never been much a fan of Janis Joplin's voice, but when it works, it works. And here? It works! Mostly! I enjoyed it well enough, but probably won't come back to this any time soon.
powerful voice. in your face. blues? rock.
6/10
Niet helemaal afgeluisterd, maar chill blues tunes. Grappig 'live' effect. Rauwe sound, voelt echt
I liked the songs I already knew on here, and a couple more. The problem for me was I didn't really like the band much, and any time anyone other than Janis started singing the whole thing became kind of unpleasant.
Honestly I really liked it at first and it was a solid 5 for me. But as the album continued I just felt it begin to drag more and more. By the end I was just happy it was over. First five songs are great and will probably make their way into my rotation in some way or another though.
good
I'm not really into Janis Joplin, but there were some songs I liked. Piece of my Heart is amazing. Summertime is a classic. Other than that, it was a pretty freewheeling blues-rock album. Probably one that I'd put on in the background, but not an album with much more than that.
I very much enjoyed this album listen from Big Brother & The Holding Company! I loved the psychedelic rock and blues vibes of this album and Joplin is such an electric and iconic singer. It must have been a trip to experience Joplin and this band back in the day. Overall, I enjoyed this album and would listen to it again!
Wondered what this was until "Piece of My Heart" appeared. A decent listen as Janis Joplin certainly sings from the heart but it didn't quite jibe with me for some reason.
It was probably great hearing some of these songs live but as an album, not really my thing.
Janis Joplin's the kind of name I'd make up for an alien pretending to be a human.
Appeciated the R Crumb cover having just taken a deep dive into him and documentaries on him. A little less into this Music, together with the recent Jefferson Airplane think I find Crumb a More interesting figure of the SF counter culture than either of those two bands.
Fav- I need a man to love (3/5)
not bad, it's kind of rocky, kind of jazzy, kind of led zeppeliny?
2026.02.18.
60’s rock Janis
Wailing’ Janis
Glad to see Janis again, and I had no clue she’d been in a band. Didn’t like this as much as Pearl, but it’s on the higher side of 3. I really liked the cover art until I noticed the racist caricature which is blatantly not how the artist draws other people. It was cool to have all the songs represented on the cover like this; shame they made that decision which taints it a bit.
I had no idea Janis Joplin fronted a band before her solo career so I was surprised to get this album since I didn't know that fact and had never heard about BB&tHC. Their songs though? yeah, i had heard them before. This is a raw and dirty blues rock record, even going so far as to put live sounds as if it were a live recording. The guitar sounds as if it was just assembled with parts found by the side of the road leading to the gig. Her voice, as raspy as ever, somehow fits perfectly with the songs and the band. Summertime and Piece of my Heart are incredible songs.
I love Janis Joplin
ja ik ben niet de grootste fan van Janis Joplin. Wel leuk, deed niet heel veel.
Of the era production but it’s got some screeching guitars that are way heavier than I expected. Shame the production sounds like a live show and not as clean as it could be. Still Janis vocals on some songs are wild. Good but not great, important for sure
I listened to the original release. The album cover is clever and informative. Other than “Piece of my Heart”, the remaining tracks are new to me. It seems they took old tunes and made them psychedelic or rock/hard rock, which was novel in 1968. The album is ok so let’s go with three stars.
Круто, энергично Лучше чем лед зепелин. Может быть немого скучновато Хиты есть 3.5
Good album. A 3,8 for me
Couldn't get past the fact that this is quite clearly Marge Simpson in a rock band. 'Piece of my heart is alright', which I imagine she wrote during that time she was fantasizing about banging Ned Flanders. All in all, middle of the road, a feature from Abe or even Moleman would have bumped it up an extra star.
Janis Joplin’s vocals are incredible. Heard a few songs of hers but never a full album listen. The band and her play off each other perfectly. Great screeching guitars throughout and some really catchy songs. Ball and Chain was my favourite
I don't really like Janis Joplin's voice, just like I don't like the racist caricature in the top right. Besides those flaws this album is ok. Every song here basically sounds the same. Low 3.